I would probably reduce caramunich and combination of special b and aromatic to 3%-4% of grain bill and replace carafa III with chocolate malt (1%-1.5% of grain bill) for color. I use pale malts (usually maris otter) for the base of my dubbels. The most important thing is probably the yeast (and your fermenter temp control) and you chose the Westmalle yeast. Please report back on what you choose to do and what the results are!

If you're going with a "modern" recipe, I wouldn't sweat the base malt too much. I used 76% Briess Pilsner, 7% Caramunich, 3.5% Aromatic, 3.5% Special B, and some homemade dark candy syrup. One 90 min hop addition and Wyeast 1214. Mine ended up being a near clone of Chimay Red, but of course I was using the 1214 yeast. In your case, as the previous poster mentioned, you're right on target with 3787 for Westmalle.

I have a Tripel going right now that I pitched at 66, then when it had started going I rasied to 68, and after 48 hours I will ramp up to ~73-75 to finish. I am also planning on cold crashing these beers for about 1 week at 38 instead of my normal 3 days. I'm using yeast from a cake of a 1054 and the starter from the Tripel was a monster so I will hopefully get some good attenuation.

What did you guys mash at? I am thinking 150ish?

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Rowdy Reptile Brewing
"During prohibition, I was forced to live off food and water" W.C. Fields

I don't like ramping up to the higher temps for a dubbel - you get full attenuation without raising the temperature, and personally I don't like the extra banana in the beer. But mainly, it is just that you will get full attenuation if you stay between 66-72 degrees (and the low end makes better flavor, in my opinion!) 150 sounds like a good mash temp.

I don't like ramping up to the higher temps for a dubbel - you get full attenuation without raising the temperature, and personally I don't like the extra banana in the beer. But mainly, it is just that you will get full attenuation if you stay between 66-72 degrees (and the low end makes better flavor, in my opinion!) 150 sounds like a good mash temp.

I thought that if you kept the beer in the low end during the first 48 hours or so, that was when most of the flavors were created by the yeast. After that window, I thought the yeast would not produce any "off" flavors associated with the higher temp. Am I wrong? Or is it differnet with Belgian yeast?

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Rowdy Reptile Brewing
"During prohibition, I was forced to live off food and water" W.C. Fields

I think you are right about temperature control during peak fermentation activity being important, but fermentation continues for a time after peak and ongoing organic and inorganic reactions continue, too, for days or longer.

I was only describing my approach and you may end up making great beer with your method - and I am looking forward to hearing your description of how your brewing and fermentation process went, and your description of how your beer tastes, too.

I think you are right about temperature control during peak fermentation activity being important, but fermentation continues for a time after peak and ongoing organic and inorganic reactions continue, too, for days or longer.

I was only describing my approach and you may end up making great beer with your method - and I am looking forward to hearing your description of how your brewing and fermentation process went, and your description of how your beer tastes, too.

What kind of ferm schedule do you normally use?

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Rowdy Reptile Brewing
"During prohibition, I was forced to live off food and water" W.C. Fields

coypoo, I pitch somewhere around 80 deg and then bring the temperature down over the next few hours to ~65 before letting it rise to 68-69 on its own during the 36-48 hour peak fermentation period. I set my temp controller to 70 with a 5 degree diff and let the temp fluctuate between 65 adn 70 for a few days before gradually dropping the beer a degree or so every day to ~55 degrees. Eventually, I bottle and cork and condition at 70 deg for 2-3 weeks.